1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to providing information on objects in content, and more particularly, to an apparatus, system and method of providing information on objects included in content (hereinafter, referred to as “object-in-content information”) without modifying the content when providing the object-in-content information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally specific content and object-in-content information are stored together upon production of a piece of media. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1, where the piece of media is played by a content player 130, a user 140 receives the object-in-content information in an offline mode. In other words, a content producer 100 creates original content 105 to be provided to the user 140, an object-in-content information provider 110 inserts specific object-in-content information into the original content 105, and a media manufacturer 120 manufactures a piece of media 125. Where content stored in the piece of media 125 is played by the content player 130, the user can select an arbitrary object in the piece of media to obtain information on the selected object stored in the piece of media.
FIG. 2 illustrates a method of extracting object-in-content information in an online mode, by using a content player 240 and an object-in-content information providing device 215. A content producer 200 produces original content 205 to be provided to a user 250 and sends the original content 205 to an object-in-content information provider 210 to add object-in-content information to the original content 205. The object-in-content information provider 210 configures the object-in-content information and stores it in the object-in-content information providing device 215. The content 214 reconfigured by the object-in-content information provider 210 is delivered to the user 250 through a content provider 220. The content provider 220 includes a provider which provides content 222 over a series of broadcast networks 230 that broadcast the content 222 via ground wave, sky wave or wired networks. The content player 240 comprises a receiving/playing system which receives and plays the broadcast delivered from the content provider 220, and allows the user 250 to view the received broadcast content. While viewing the content 222, the user 250 may send a control message 255 to select an object in the content through the content player 240. In response to the control message, the content player 240 receives relevant object information 244 from the object-in-content information providing device 215. Here, the object information 244 has been provided by the object-in-content information provider 210, through a separate communication network other than the broadcast networks 230, so as to allow the user 250 to view the relevant object information 244. However, the related art methods illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 have a variety of problems.
For example, since object-in-content information or object recognition information for use in obtaining the object-in-content information is transmitted in a state where it is included in a broadcasting stream, a content provider requires a broad bandwidth when providing the content. Accordingly, the transmission/reception costs of the content including the object-in-content information increase.
Also, since an object that has been inserted into media or added to content for broadcasting is fixed, only objects that have been ahead set in the content can be selected and specific object information in the content, which has been stored in a piece of media or reconfigured and produced by an object-in-content information provider, cannot be added or modified.